Knife sharpening device



Oct. 25, 1966 c. A. RAYMOND 3,280,514

KNIFE SHARPENING DEVICE Filed March 16, 1964 40 INVENTOR.

Char/e5 A. Ray/77000 TTOR/VE) United States Patent O 3,280,514 KNIFE SENING DEVICE Charles A. Raymond, 639 Plymouth Road, Baltimore, Md. Filed Mar. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 352,125 2 Claims. (Cl. 51-211) This invention relates generally to abrading apparatus, and more particularly it pertains to a clamped Whetstone device.

The basic object of this invention is to provide a sharpener stone ever ready for use which can be located in the most advantageous zone and position for effectively, tirelessly, and quickly whetting of knives, namely a table under-surface, or the underneath edge of a rolled sink face. Such an arrangement takes advantage of a natural untiring powerful leverage available in its highest degree only in this particular'zone, thereby doing away entirely with tiredness and failure of an operator in sharpening of knives.

Experience has shown the most natural, powerful, and untiring leverage is that upward lifting force of the forearm which exists in a zone about 27 to 36 inches above the floor for most erect persons. This coincides with the height of the underside of furniture or fixtures, including work tables, and sinks of most kitchens.

An abrasive stone is quite brittle and easily broken, particularly so if worn thin from use. Consequently, a loose Whetstone is vulnerable to breakage. Further, a loose Whetstone is difiicult and troublesome to find when needed and put away again, damaging to edges of knives when stored among them and a nuisance and danger to position and hold in use. In addition, it is never instantly ready for use and requires immediate cleaning up of the whetting dust and metal at the place Where used.

The present invention contemplates a horizontally mounted stone, suitable for under table and other desired undersurface mounting and designed so the contact area can 'be repositioned conveniently. If used to whet a whetted knife the moisture will depend to the whetting area 'by gravity, unlike in a table top arrangement.

Particular advantages of the present holder are the secure grip it maintains upon the stone to prevent rotation in use; reinforcement of the stone; and limiting of the amount of wear on the stone before adjustment. In addition, the stone is protected from soil; sound proofing against the noise of whetting; a shock absorber protecting the stone from bumps and vibration; impervious to soil of any kind; and of high decorative value.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become more readily apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the Whetstone device incorporating features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation showing the Whetstone device of FIG. I mounted to a sink;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the Whetstone device.

In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, there is shown a cylindrical stone 10, preferably six inches long and three quarters inch in along line 33 of FIG.

diameter. This abrasive stone 10 is frictionally received in a shell-like grip or holder 12, which is made of resilient plastic about to in thickness depending on the make or kind used and extending the full length of the stone 10 and encompassing it for more than half its diameter.

A hole or aperture 14 is provided near each end in the holder 12 to receive a screw so the assembly may be secured to the underside of a table thereby. Two pairs of notches 16, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are provided in the holder 12 to provide a finger grip on the stone 10 so that it can be rotated from time-to-time to expose a new surface thereof.

For use on metal furniture, sinks, and the like, or where it is desirable to use a screw mount, a pair of clamps 18 are provided. Each clamp 18 is formed from a stamped sheet of metal and formed with a pair of bent-up ears 22 and 24. One of the ears 22 is provided with a threaded hole or aperture to receive a thumb screw 26. The space between the cars 22 and 24 is defined by a base 20 dimensioned to receive the valence or pendent edge of a table, sink, or the like.

A disc shaped web 28 is formed downwardly from base 29 of clamp 18, as indicated in FIG. 2, and it is provided with a plurality of bent peripheral lugs 30, 32 and 34, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The web 28 conforms closely to the end configuration of the assembly of the stone 10 and holder 12 so that the lugs 30 embrace the sides of the holder 12 and the edge lugs 32 the underside of the stone 10. The plastic casing edges at the extreme ends rest on the face of lugs 32 and thereby keep the casing 12 and the stone 10 from turning. The other lugs 34 are bent on a line which is nearly radial (corresponding to a line joining the lower edges of the holder 12). Thus, it is to be noted that the clamp 18 adequately supports the holder 12 and the stone 10 in all directions.

It will be noted that this design positions the top surface of the holder 12 directly against the valence so that upward pressure against the stone in whetting operations is transmitted directly to the table without passing through the clamps 20. Further, so positioned, the stone is also quite neat and inconspicuous in its plastic holder.

The same type of resilient plastic holder and metallic clamp is adaptable to other than a cylindrical stone, for example the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 which uses a triangular or three-sided abrasive element 40. In this case, the rotation to a new surface is in 60 degree steps and is accomplished by snapping the stone 40 out, rotating it and replacing it into the resilient modified shape holder 42 where it is securely held by friction against any movement whatsoever.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that Within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A knife sharpening device comprising an abrasive stone, a resilient plastic holder for receiving and holding said stone snugly and securely and encompassing said stone for more than half its thickness leaving a bottom surface uncovered for whetting by an upward lifting force on a.

knife to be sharpened and attaching means on said holder q D for attaching said stone in a horizontal position to the undersurface of a table or the like and leaving said bottom surface of said stone exposed for easy access but below the top surface of said table or the like.

2. A knife sharpener device, as defined by claim 1, wherein the means on said holder for attaching said stone in a horizontal position to the undersurface of a table or the like includes a pair of clamp like steel fixtures, said fixtures including a stamped out web portion to fit the.

end of any shaped stone used.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 205,077 6/1878 Gundelfinger et al. 51-211 5 935,350 9/1909 Badge et al 51205 2,092,831 9/1937 Cannon 51205 2,645,066 7/1953 Andrews 51-214 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

10 L. S. SELMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A KNIFE SHARPENING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ABRASIVE STONE, A RESILIENT PLASTIC HOLDER FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING SAID STONE SNUGLY AND SECURELY AND ENCOMPASSING SAID STONE FOR MORE THAN HALF ITS THICKNESS LEAVING A BOTTOM SURFACE UNCOVERED FOR WHETTING BY AN UPWARD LIFTING FORCE ON A KNIFE TO BE SHARPENED AND ATTACHING MEANS ON SAID HOLDER FOR ATTACHING SAID STONE IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION TO THE UNDERSURFACE OF A TABLE OR THE LIKE AND LEAVING SAID BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID STONE EXPOSED FOR EASY ACCESS BUT BELOW THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID TABLE OR THE LIKE. 